


Freeing from the Chains

by writingismydivision



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Molly Hooper is a Good Friend, Post S4E3: The Final Problem, Sherlock Holmes & Molly Hooper Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 04:33:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28825260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingismydivision/pseuds/writingismydivision
Summary: It was like being held by chains, to be in love with him.
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes & John Watson, Sherlock Holmes & Molly Hooper, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Freeing from the Chains

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is a story I had in mind from a long time. Also, the events mentioned in this story aren't in chronological order, meaning an event from TSoT can come before an event ASiP. It's Molly thinking, and she is not thinking chronologically.

It was like being held by chains, to be in love with him. Her feelings were the chains and he was the lock that would not come off, preventing her to escape.

It was not like she had not tried to. Because she had. Many times. She had dated several people, been in two serious relationships, had even been engaged, willing to break her chains. However, they were pretty strong and didn't, resulting in her broken engagement and heart. She had loved Tom, really, but he wasn't him.

She had also tried to pick the lock, she had done everything for him to notice her, she had applied lipstick and removed it when it didn't work, kept her hair the way he said he liked, she tried to make him jealous, dressed up for him. But the lock was one of a kind, it wouldn't come off without its key. 

So she tried to find the key. Doing him favors every time he asked her to. Hiding things he wanted to be kept hidden. Being there for him, whether he needed her or not. Hoping that she would find a way to his heart and the key. But her hopes were met with no response. 

Over time, it seemed that her chains were not as short as she thought, they allowed her to walk till a distance. It wasn't same as running free, yet it was a welcome change. She vowed not to let him step on her and acted on it.

But as all good comes with a 'but', so did this one. Her chains of emotions were becoming more troublesome. They had surely expanded, but had they weightened. She could walk now, but the weight of the chains didn't let her. And it was all due the changes in the man himself that his flatmate and best friend had brought.

He had started to acknowledge her stopped treating her like she was a mere girl who was trying hard to impress her. She remembered the warm feeling in her chest when he told her that she did count, she did matter. It felt good, after years of effort, to be appreciated by him. She remembered him insulting her on that Christmas, like many other times. She remembered her chest being filled with the same warm feeling when he had apologized about it and kissed her sweetly on cheek. Oh, Bless John, the man had really changed a lot!

She remembered sitting in a chair at Baker Street because he had asked her to help him solve a case. She had thought that she was being a temporary replacement for John, but he had told her otherwise. He had told her that she was not being John, she was being herself, she was being Molly Hooper.

She had realized two things that day. First, that she was significant in his life, not just because of her job and skills, but as a person, as Molly Hooper. Second, that no one, absolutely no one, can take the place John Watson had in Sherlock Holmes' life. It was clear how much John mattered to him. And she had seen how much Sherlock mattered to John, all the grieve and guilt carried by him for those two horrible years. But now it was different. John had Mary and Sherlock and her were alone, even when they were with friends and each other. But alas, fate is a terrible thing, when it gave John the pleasure of being a father, it took away from him the privilege of being a husband. Sometimes she hoped that it could be simpler, Sherlock could be with John, and not someone else, not even her, because she couldn't be that selfish. She cared far too much about him than to separate him from John because in reality, whether they accepted it or not, there was no Sherlock Holmes without Dr Watson. And she had someone by her side whom she loved and was loved by. But real life couldn't be perfect like a fantasy, can it?

She wasn't having a good day even before the phone call happened. And then it happened.

She couldn't believe what he was he was asking for. Was it all she was, a medium to an experiment? He had assured her that it was not the case, she was his friend. But how could she believe that, when he was asking her to go through this kind of emotional torture and accept the truth. She knew it would break her heart forever and if she had to succumb to her chains, then so it be. So she also asked him, for one favor: three words, one sentence and infinite feelings, she would say all that if he said that to her first. He had been shocked, of course he had been how could little Molly Hooper ask for such a thing from the Great Sherlock Holmes? But after so many favors from her, she could surely ask for one from him, even if it would be a lie. His voice had been so soft, so sincere that she almost believed it. But she knew what a good actor Sherlock Holmes was. She gripped her phone and whispered, 'I love you', letting her chains pull her soul and body to knees.

_

'I didn't even know you had a sister', she said, blinking away her tears, as he sat on her sofa after explaining why the phone call had happened, refusing to meet his eyes.

'Well, neither did I.'

Silence filled the room like loudest noises and suddenly it felt like all the oxygen was drained from the room, making it suffocated. Her soul had given in to its chains, sitting with her head buried in her arms. She wanted to blame it to him, to reduce her to this mess,but she didn't because deep down, Molly Hooper understood. She understood that he had only done so because he had thought his life was in danger. She understood the ordeal he had to go through. She understood. that his sister had lied to him and to protect him, he had to lie to her. Huh, lies seem run in the family.

'It wasn't, you know. It wasn't a lie.' She finally met his eyes, finding nothing but tenderness and love there. 'You are my friend and I do love you, Molly Hooper.'

Her mind was spinning. Were her senses working? What did he just say?

'But you don't', she replied softly, her eyes wet.

'Yet I do', he suddenly had a lump in his throat and she could hear the pain in his voice, 'I know I've hurt you a lot, over years. Let me tell you the truth. I used you for my own good, always asking and asking, taking and taking, never once returning. But I have learned to appreciate those who I know play an important part in my life and those in whose life I play an important one. You are one of those people, Molly', he was crying and smiling, both at the same time, 'You're one of the most important people in my life. And just because I don't feel any kind of romantic attachment with you, don't, even once, think that you are any less valuable to me.'

Her mouth curved into a smile, a genuine one, despite the tears flowing down her cheeks. 

'He taught you all about love.'

'Yes', he agreed, 'Yes he did. And so did you.'

She smiled again and taking two steps, flung her arms around his neck.

It was the moment when she could feel her chains unlocking on their own, without breaking or finding its key and that was the moment she knew she had won herself again.

To her great surprise, he quickly wrapped his arms around her.

They stayed like that for some minutes before he asked, 'Do you think you can forgive me?'

She raised her head from her shoulder and untangled herself from him, he let go of her immediately.

'I think', she said, her voice full of sheer joy, as she failed to contain her growing smile, 'I think I've already forgiven you.'

He smiled then, one of those rare smiles, she had only seen on him when John was around.

They stood in complete silence, but it wasn't like the one from earlier, it was a comfortable silence before Sherlock spoke softly, 'We are holding a little dinner tonight. At Angelo's. Not many people, just the closest one. Mrs Hudson, Lestrade, Mycroft too, perhaps. Please do come, Molly. I think John is waiting for us at Baker Street.'

'No silly', she said, shaking her head, 'he is waiting for you with your daughter at home.'

A moment after wiping her dried tears, she spoke again, 'Okay. I will come at the dinner. Now go. And make sure that my goddaughter looks presentable. I'm looking forward to meet her tonight.

He smiled and turned to leave, but not before pressing his lips to her cheek and whispering, 'Thank you, Molly Hooper. For everything.'

As she watched him go, she felt this new feeling that she couldn't name, but it felt like her soul was running free once again.

At last, both of them were happy.

**Author's Note:**

> So, what do you think? I don't ship Sherlolly, but Molly's dedication to Sherlock needs to be appreciated. Also, her crush on Sherlock downplays her. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Love,  
> writingismydivision


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